Our 15 Favorite Watch Reviews of 2018

2018 was a great year in watches, and we had more than our fair share of awesome timepieces make their way through Worn & Wound HQ. Today, we’re taking a look back at 12 of our favorite reviews of 2018—watches that still have us drooling as we gear up for 2019.

Tudor Black Bay GMT

One of the hottest sport watches of 2018, the Tudor Black Bay GMT deserves a prime spot on this list. Initially, this watch was overshadowed by the release of the smaller-cased Black Bay Fifty-Eight, but I was quickly won over after getting to spend some prolonged hands-on time with it earlier this year.

Pelton Sector

Detroit-based Pelton is the new kid on the block, but the Sector— with its impressive American-made case and classic dial design (and now there is also a variant with an American made dial)—shows that this young company has a very promising future.

Seiko Mini-Turtle

Seiko’s Mini-Turtle was an immediate hit when it was first unveiled in late 2017, and we were incredibly excited to get this one in for a review this past year. With the 007 on its way out, the Mini-Turtle may just be Seiko’s newest affordable classic.

Farer Cobb Chronograph

We’re huge fans of Farer here at Worn & Wound, and 2018 was a remarkably good year for the British-based brand, which unveiled a series of hand-crankers and, more recently, a collection of mechanical chronographs. Beautifully styled and robustly spec’d, the Cobb was one of our favorite watches of 2018.

Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono

Heritage was a big theme for Hamilton in 2018, and the Hamilton Intra-Matic Auto Chrono was a great return to form. With it’s smaller case and classic panda styling, this one was a huge hit all around.

Lorier Neptune

Though the Neptune features recognizable cues pulled from divers of years past, it somehow manages to feel like its own thing. With its smaller size, solid spec sheet, and reasonable pricing, the Neptune won us over.

Damasko DS 30

The DS 30 takes Damasko’s successful formula for building nearly indestructible tool watches, and adapts that formula to make a watch with a stripped down sporty dial and a smaller and thinner case that wears just so damn well. It’s a tool watch you can slip under a cuff.

Ophion OPH-786

Ophion should charge far more for their wares, but because they don’t their watches present some of the best bang-for-your-horological-buck in the field. The OPH-786 was several years in the making, and when we reviewed it this year it did not disappoint (just take a look at that movement!)

Mido Multifort Datometer

Mido celebrated an important milestone in 2018, and the Multifort Datometer brought back into Mido’s catalog one the brand’s most iconic watches. Though it was upsized, it still managed to perfectly capture the essence of the historical timepiece, and it was a huge hit with press and enthusiasts alike.

MK II Gen 3. Paradive

The new Gen. 3 Paradive, based on the legendary Benrus Type 1 military diver, is one of my favorite dive watches currently on the market. With its sterile, legible design and robust build quality, the Paradive is a winner.

Damasko DC 80 Chronograph

Yep, another Damasko. We love central-minute chronographs here at Worn & Wound, but with the demise of the Lemania 5100 they’ve become relatively rare. Actually, scratch that. Now with the DC 80 on the market, you can get a robust, in-house modified central-minute chronograph for well under $3,000, and with all the tech Damasko puts into their watches it’ll likely outlast its wearer.

Farer Stanhope

Like I wrote above, 2018 was a banner year for Farer, and the Stanhope took Farer’s quirky design language and distilled it into a fun hand-cranker that was a pure joy to wear. Other brands, take note—this is how you do color.

Bravur BW003

Bravur’s blend of Swiss quality and Swedish design sensibility has resulted in some killer watches, and the delightfully minimalist BW003 is one of their best models yet. Having released two more models since the BW003 (the Scandinavia and the Geography series), Bravur is definitely another brand to keep an eye on in 2019.

Monta Triumph

In my humble opinion, the Triumph is Monta’s best watch, and it’s been my personal favorite from the brand since it was unveiled a few years back. It’s delightfully svelte, and the sporty design and high-end finishing make this one a surprisingly versatile piece on the wrist.

Longines Avigation BigEye Chronograph

The Avigation BigEye is one of Longines’ best watches in recent memory. From the modified column-wheel chronograph movement to the asymmetrical BigEye design, it’s a successful blend of new and old, and this one still crosses my mind all these months later.

Ilya is Worn & Wound's Managing Editor and Video Producer. He believes that when it comes to watches, quality, simplicity and functionality are king. This may very well explain his love for German and military-inspired watches. In addition to watches, Ilya brings an encyclopedic knowledge of leather, denim and all things related to menswear.

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